UTSA professor earns doctorate after 20-year journey

SAN ANTONIO – A lot can happen in 20 years, including making the decision to go back to school. Dr. Vidya Sharma, a professor at UTSA, made that decision and crossed the stage with her doctorate this December.

In 2004, Vidya Sharma graduated with her master’s degree from Wayne State University in Michigan.

She immediately began her doctoral program before it quickly came to a stop.

“Going into my second semester, I developed a lot of health issues,” Sharma said. “I just had to abruptly stop pursuing my doctoral degree.”

However, her passion for education never wavered.

“It’s been kind of like a burning desire since then,” Sharma said.

Prior to earning her Ph.D. in Translational Science from UTSA in December 2024, she was a professor.

Sharma taught in the UTSA Department of Nutrition and Dietetics as a registered dietitian and an assistant professor, teaching multiple classes.

Sharma’s focus was, and continues to be, staying true to science and nutrition that directly impact the people who live in South Texas.

“Food insecurity is another big issue, especially as we get closer to the holiday times,” Sharma said. “That’s another big issue that people tend to experience - a lot of college students. … Anything that I learn, whether it’s through the research or through courses that I take, I’m able to bring back a lot to the classroom.”

In her classes, Sharma encouraged her students to create a path for a healthier San Antonio.

“They are doing needs assessments,” Sharma said referring to her students. “They prioritize who the population would be, and they come up with nutritional interventions that would be beneficial for that community. Then what they do is in class, we have assignments where they write proposals as if they are requesting funding from an agency to support their interventions.”

Sharma has already made an impact on the nutrition and dietetics program at UTSA but her contributions to research and teaching students are far from over.

“It’s good to chase your dreams and you should not stop,” Sharma said.